Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined forces with a coalition of 14 attorneys general to push back against the Trump administration's executive order that they believe undermines access to gender-affirming care. They have solidified their stance, promising to uphold healthcare policies that respect the rights and dignity of all individuals, including those seeking gender-affirming medical treatments. The coalition has made it clear that healthcare decisions should remain in the hands of patients and their medical teams, rather than be dictated by political maneuvering.
The battle lines were drawn after the Trump administration attempted to equate gender-affirming care with female genital mutilation—an equation that Raoul and his peers vehemently dismiss as baseless both scientifically and legally. According to a statement obtained by the Illinois Attorney General's office, the group insists, "The Trump administration’s recent executive order is wrong on the science and the law. Despite what the Trump administration has suggested, there is no connection between female genital mutilation and gender-affirming care, and no federal law makes gender-affirming care unlawful. President Trump cannot change that by Executive Order."
The coalition recently celebrated a legal victory that required the federal government to continue funding institutions that provide gender-affirming care, irrespective of President Trump's orders. The attorneys general are prepared to defend this critical funding, indicating their readiness to undertake further legal action if the federal administration attempts to impede it. The support from the Department of Justice, as manifested in their notice that federal agencies cannot obstruct funding based on the OMB memo or the President's orders, represents a safeguard for these vital health services.
Raoul, alongside his counterparts from states including California, Colorado, and New York, remains committed to enforcing state laws granting access to gender-affirming care. "State attorneys general will continue to enforce state laws that provide access to gender-affirming care, in states where such enforcement authority exists, and we will challenge any unlawful effort by the Trump administration to restrict access to it in our jurisdictions," further confirms the group's unified stance. This coalition is emblematic of a broader movement aimed at protecting the rights of transgender individuals against federal efforts that seek to undermine their medically endorsed treatment paths.
